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Instrumental holiday recordings featuring trumpet don't come along as often as one might guess. Offhand, I can't think of another one. But David Hoffman's Christmas in Your Heart would be one of a kind even in a whole roomful of Christmas trumpeters. Working all of his "instrumpets" (trumpet, flugelhorn, bass trumpet, and mellophone), Hoffman & Company turn out one memorable tune after another.

I could recommend this CD as ethereal new age, based on the liberal use of Paul Adams native flute on O Come Emmanuel. Or I could recommend it as cool jazz based on improvisational trumpet riffs heard throughout. Or I could even call attention to its easy listening flavor, which reminded me of the popular jazz style prevalent in the '50s and well into the '60s. It is, in fact, all of these and more.

A veteran of the Ray Charles band, Hoffman has complete command of many styles and forms. He also wrote a new Christmas song (lyrics by Dave Scott). Sung by jazz vocalist Stephanie Aaron, Christmas In Your Heart is a sentimental retro pop tune. And though it was not really my favorite song on the CD, it is pleasant enough.

I thought the record shined most brightly on the jazzier numbers. There is an almost Cuban-flavor to We Three Kings that made it the most endearing song on the album. I also liked the spicy New Orleans flavor on Winter Homecoming. In fact, just about every jazz flavor you can name is represented here, at some point in Hoffman's eclectic improv riffing. This is truly a special CD.

--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2004)

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From the liner notes:

David Hoffman: trumpet, bass trumpet, flugelhorn, mellophone, piano, keyboards, vocals, arrangements

Paul Adams: percussion, keyboards, vocals, native flute, lyrics and vocal arrangement on Christmas Lullaby

Stephanie Aaron: lead vocals on Christmas In Your Heart

Renee Georges: background vocals on Christmas In Your Heart

Joanna Hinerichson: snaps and claps on Let It Snow

Jolie Bayer Nordstrom: vocals on Christmas Lullaby

Katrina Addison: vocals on Christmas Lullaby

"Paul Adams has been trying to get me to do a Christmas CD for several years now. Between being on the road constantly and just not feeling inspired for such a thing, I just haven't been able to finish it. But last Christmas I wrote a little tune that sounded to me like a Christmas song. I gave it to my friend Dave Scott, who besides being a newscaster in San Diego, is a fine trombonist/vocalist/composer, and he has a way with words. I went to Japan with Ray Charles and when I came back, Dave was on a gig, singing these very sweet words that he had written to the melody that became Christmas In Your Heart. That, along with Paul's not so subtle urging, inspired me to finish this project. I wanted to do some differnt things, thus the four bass trumpets on Let It Snow, the mellophone blasting here and there, and me attempting to sing, even playing the role of all three kings! I managed to finish the cd while on the road, where Renee Georges generously recorded some background vocals, while Paul was recording Stephanie Aarons vocals in his studio. Paul put a beautiful final touch on the project when he had the inspired notion to add children singing on Christmas Lullaby. So I hope you like the CD"
--David Hoffman

David Hoffman

Christmas in Your Heart

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Track List